1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to lightweight portable concealment devices and methods.
2. Description of Prior Art
There is often a need to conceal oneself when researching wildlife, hunting, camping, working on construction projects, or working in the outdoors. Wildlife researchers conceal themselves so that they can film and study wildlife without disturbing the behavior of the animals. Hunters often conceal themselves in various hunting blinds to avoid being detected by their prey. Campers often conceal themselves to bathe, change clothes, and perform other personal or hygiene activities. Construction workers, military, law enforcement, and others who work in the outdoors also have similar needs for concealment. Various methods have been employed to accomplish these tasks.
In the past, quite complex, heavy structures have been built or constructed for concealment. Hunters have built permanent hunting blinds. Portable huts, shower stalls, dressing shelters, tents, canopies, and complex tree blind structures have been carried into the great outdoors.
The following is a list of patents relating to this field of invention:    U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,665 Demountable structure    U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,330 Suspended overhead canopy assembly and method thereof    U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,439 Portable but    U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,512 Blind structure for use with tree stand    U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,578 Portable blind apparatus    U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,441 Camouflage device for hunter's seat    U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,934 Stable lightweight shelter structure    U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,286 Portable shelter    U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,401 Light weight tent    U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,542 Portable hunting blind    U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,165 Hunting blind    U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,892 Temporary enclosing structure    U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,598 Hunter's blind and shelter    U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,338 Collapsible blind    U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,997 Portable blind    U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,794 Unitized foldable tent frame    U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,936 Portable field blind    U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,403 Hunting blind adapted to be mounted in a tree    U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,906 Pit blind for interacting with wildlife and method of installation and use thereof    U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,694 Portable tree platform elevated with a winch    U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,849 Camouflage tube, a portable camouflage concealment structure    U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,711 Camouflage blind for hunters    U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,334 Portable hunting blind    U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,180 Camouflage device for archery bow    U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,234 Portable blind    U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,919 Portable blind with automatic opening top    U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,672 Collapsible game blind    U.S. Pat. No. 3,545,461 Tree suspended enclosure    U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,828 Portable shower    U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,536 Camp shower apparatus    U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,620 Outdoor portable shower    U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,930 Portable shower enclosure    U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,138 Portable shower    U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,452 Portable bathroom assembly
The use of such devices has several disadvantages such as being heavy, bulky, noisy, expensive, and complicated to assemble or use. Most of these devices have only a single use with poor performance. There is a need for a simple, lightweight, compact, portable, multi-use means of concealment.
To avoid being detected by their scent, hunters and other wildlife observers climb trees using tree steps and then remain for hours in a tree stand watching and waiting for animals to pass by. However, a person in a tree stand makes a silhouette against the sky or background and is exposed to a 360 degree view. Animals can easily detect the human silhouette or movement. Further, if the person or equipment makes a noise the animal will know where to look. There is a need for a device that eliminates the silhouette.
Complicated equipment or procedures create a situation where a person may drop equipment or, even worse, fall from the tree stand. Most of the existing devices block the view or mobility of the person.
Metal objects screwed into trees are sometimes forgotten and become over grown by the tree. Later when the lumber is harvested and cut, the saw strikes the metal object and can cause severe damage. Some states have banded the use of metal tree screws or spikes. Any device used for attaching to trees in the forest needs an embodiment that attaches to the outside of the tree and can be easily removed.
The following ground blinds are known in the art:                Hunter's Specialties' “Lightweight Portable Ground Blind”        Avery' “Avery Quick Carry Ground Blind”        U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,234, entitled “Portable Blind”However, these ground blinds are limited in that they are designed for a single use or application.        
The following is a list of patents relating to curtain support brackets:    U.S. Pat. No. 891,622 Curtain Fixture    U.S. Pat. No. 926,945 Curtain Rod    U.S. Pat. No. 1,079,431 Curtain Pole    U.S. Pat. No. 1,298,634 Window Curtain Hanger    U.S. Pat. No. 1,435,110 Curtain Holder    U.S. Pat. No. 1,528,910 Curtain Bracket    U.S. Pat. No. 1,572,845 Curtain Support    U.S. Pat. No. 2,175,501 Curtain-Rod SupportHowever, these are old references associated with hanging curtains inside a building on a wall and fail to anticipate many novel features of the present invention.